Detroit City FC, WMYD-TV20 Detroit, and the CW Television Network have come to terms on a new deal to televise DCFC matches ahead of the 2021 spring season according to Crain’s Detroit (subscription required).
The deal will reportedly comprise of 12 total games from the club’s home pitch at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck and feature both the men’s and women’s squads. Furthermore, Chief of Partnerships for DCFC T.J. Winfrey confirmed that TV20 in Detroit, as well as CW in Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing, and Traverse City, will be the markets included in the agreement.
The men’s side of Detroit City is scheduled to compete in the NISA Legends Cup from Chattanooga in mid-April before returning home to begin the spring schedule on May 1 against the Maryland Bobcats. NISA has once again partnered up with beIN Sports to broadcast almost every Legends Cup match that begins on April 13, the NISA game of the week during the spring season, and the semifinal/spring championship on June 30 which will have the Legends Cup tournament champion take on the season table winner. In addition to this, beIN will also televise the 2020-2021 NISA Championship final July 3 at Keyworth Stadium between the 2021 spring champion and Detroit City FC who were crowned Fall Champions last October.
As far as the 12 games scheduled to air on TV20 and the CW Network, six have been announced and include:
May 1: Detroit City FC (Men) vs. Maryland Bobcats FC
May 15: Detroit City FC (Women) vs. Muskegon Risers
May 29: Detroit City FC (Women) vs. Chicago Mustangs
June 5: Detroit City FC (Men) vs. Stumptown AC
June 19: Detroit City FC (Women) vs. Midwest United
July 10: Detroit City FC (Women) vs. Lansing United
Also according to Crain’s, a Detroit City FC season preview will air on April 12 in the aforementioned markets with Google Fi being the presenting sponsor for the live broadcasts this spring.
Winfrey also mentioned the Club will continue to broadcast all matches on the team’s official YouTube channel.
Obviously this is great news for the Club and the fans alike who were both completely shut out of live, in person action last year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, this news of the deal is just a testament to the growing popularity of DCFC that TV20 and the CW would continue that television partnership despite the hardships that came with 2020.
